The holiday season is a beautiful whirlwind, with twinkling lights, packed calendars and the frantic search for the perfect gift. But in the midst of all this festive activity, some specific lessons hit me last week while watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas with my kids. Much like the Whos of Whoville, our spirit of goodwill is high — and because of that, our guard is often low — creating the perfect opportunity for deception.
Enter the Grinch.
Think back to that famous Whoville thief. He didn't execute his plan with a massive, noisy assault. He was subtle. He slipped into his homemade Santa attire, hitched his dog Max to a makeshift sleigh and crept down the chimneys of sleeping homes. His entire strategy relied on simple, brilliant deceit: If he looked like the thing everyone trusted, he could take everything, right down to the last can of Who-Hash, from under their noses.
Remember that iconic moment when little Cindy Lou Who, barely awake, catches the Grinch mid-steal? “Santy Claus, why? Why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why?” she coos. The Grinch pauses, a terrible smirk crossing his face, and quickly spins a lie about taking it home to his workshop to fix a broken light.
That, precisely, is the moment you need to prepare for. Holiday scammers disguise themselves as the familiar, the helpful or the essential part of your holiday planning — a trusted retailer, a major delivery service or even your bank — hoping that in the rush of the season, you won't look closely enough to see through the façade.
Whoville may be fictional, but the lessons it offers are surprisingly practical. Here are four that can help you spot trouble before it reaches you.
Lesson 1: Look Twice at What First Appears Familiar
Just as the Grinch slipped quietly into Whoville wearing a familiar red coat, scammers often imitate the companies, services and conveniences you expect to see this time of year. At first glance, they look right, but a closer look usually reveals something out of place.
A coworker recently experienced this on Black Friday. She received a text claiming her Apple order hadn’t been paid for and urging her to “fix the issue” through a link in the message. Because the timing lined up with a purchase, it felt believable. Instead of clicking the link, she logged in to her Apple account and immediately saw that her items had already shipped. Apple never would have sent the items without them being paid for; that quick check confirmed the message — and its odd link — as a scam.
Fraudsters use the same strategy in a variety of ways during the holidays, including:
- The Fake Delivery Notice: A message claims your package is delayed or needs a small fee to release it, directing you to a fake website designed to steal information.
- The Account Impersonator: A scammer pretends to be from Amazon, Apple or your bank, reporting an urgent issue and offering to help. Their tone often shifts the moment you ask questions. (The Black Friday text is a perfect example of this.)
- The Unbelievable Deal: Social media ads promise brand-name items at impossible prices. Counterfeit or undelivered products are common outcomes.
- The Charity Copycat: Look-alike charities mimic real organizations, hoping your generosity leads you to give without verifying.
- The Holiday Emergency Scam: Someone impersonates a loved one who “needs help fast,” hoping emotion will override caution.
What this teaches us: Fraudsters count on you reacting quickly to something that “looks or sounds right.” Taking a moment to study the details, such as the sender’s name, the link, the timing or the tone, helps you spot the slip-ups scammers often overlook. The more familiar you become with these clues, the harder it is for an impersonator to fool you.
Lesson 2: Pause, Verify and Trust Your Instincts
Once something feels off, your next move matters. And in many cases, it’s the quiet moment of doubt — the pause — that prevents real harm.
One of our clients recently shared a story about receiving a call from someone claiming to be from Apple. He walked her through nearly two hours of “troubleshooting,” sounding professional the entire time. Right before she handed over sensitive information, she hesitated and said she wanted to call Apple directly. The moment she questioned him, the caller dropped the friendly tone, became hostile and hung up. That brief hesitation protected her.
What this teaches us: If anything feels unusual, stop. Hang up, close the message or step back, then verify using the company’s official website or app. Legitimate companies won’t ask for sensitive information, like Social Security numbers, passwords or full account numbers, and they won’t become irritated or angry when you take the time to confirm a request. Caution is expected, not inconvenient.
Lesson 3: Shop Smart — Even in a Whirlwind
A few simple precautions can help keep your season joyful and your information safe:
- Buy from reputable sellers. Check for a physical address, a customer service number and credible reviews.
- Know what you’re buying. Watch for unclear descriptions, unusually low prices or vague return policies.
- Review shipping and refund policies. Hard-to-find or unusually strict terms can signal a scam site.
- Protect your deliveries. Use tracking tools, alerts and secure drop-off locations when possible.
- Check for website security. Look for “https” at the beginning of the web address. The “s” means the site is using encryption to help protect the information you enter. Some browsers might also display a small security indicator (such as a lock or icon).
- Use secure payment methods. Debit and credit cards both include fraud monitoring and zero-liability safeguards if unauthorized transactions occur. Debit cards gain added security when used through digital wallets or contactless payments, which keep your actual card number out of the transaction. Credit cards offer those same protections and add a buffer for online purchases because the charge doesn’t pull directly from your bank account. And no matter which payment method you choose, turning on card or transaction alerts gives you quick visibility if something unexpected ever appears. Read more about debit vs. credit here.
What this teaches us: Shopping safely is about combining small safeguards — checking the seller, reviewing the fine print and choosing payment methods with built-in protection — to give yourself stronger layers of defense.
Lesson 4: You Don’t Have to Spot the Grinches Alone
One of the most effective tools scammers rely on isn’t technology. It’s silence. Modern fraud is built to feel personal and private, so when something doesn’t look right, many people hesitate to speak up. They worry they should have recognized a red flag sooner, or they feel embarrassed that the message or call caught their attention at all. But that quiet moment is exactly what scammers count on.
Today’s scams are intentionally sophisticated — polished enough to look legitimate, timed to feel believable and detailed enough to make anyone pause. Even the most tech-savvy people need a second opinion sometimes, not because they’re unprepared, but because modern fraud is designed to fool capable, careful adults. Needing help isn’t a miss; it’s a smart response to a very modern problem.
What this teaches us: Asking for help is part of staying safe, not a sign you’ve done something wrong. Reaching out to your local Bank of Utah branch gives you someone who can look at the situation with clear eyes and without judgment. Our team members understand how advanced today’s scams have become and can quickly tell whether something fits a known pattern. Speaking up early can stop fraud long before it has a chance to work, which is exactly what scammers don’t want.
One Last Thought to Keep the Grinch Away
If there’s one habit that protects people the most during the holidays, it’s the simple willingness to second-guess what shows up. Taking an extra moment to look twice, ask a question or verify something unexpected is one of the strongest defenses you have. Scammers hope you’ll move quickly and trust the first glance. But the moment you slow down and double-check, their disguise starts to fall apart. That small instinct to pause keeps your season safer, calmer and far less Grinchy.
Jill Winsor, the banking manager at our Heber branch, has steadily grown her career since starting as a teller in 2018. She joined Bank of Utah as a customer service manager in 2020 and advanced to banking manager in 2024. Originally from California, she has loved calling Heber home since 2018. She’s passionate about building strong client relationships and being part of innovative, high-performing teams. Outside of work, she enjoys supporting her daughters in band and cheer, sponsoring Market on Main, volunteering with Junior Achievement and staying active in the local chambers.
